Author: fidoactive

Just like humans, as our dogs get older, they get to the point where the mind is willing but the body isn’t quite as able!

Not surprisingly it’s the joints that take the brunt of it, as they have to support the body 24/7, whether at work, play or relaxing. I know that our glucosamine-chondroitin-MSM based supplement for dogs helps alleviate the pain and increases the flexibility in damaged or arthritic joints.

However, there are other things that I have implemented to help take the strain off my old faithful’s joints and prevent painful accidents that could worsen his condition. I thought you might find it useful too…

If you’ve got an ageing pooch suffering with stiffness or arthritis too, or one that has previously undergone surgery for broken bones or torn ligaments, please check out the top tips below and see if you can help stop your furry best friend suffering in silence.

Top Tips to Help Ease Your Dog’s Painful Joints

• Provide a cushioned bed and position away from drafts

Most dogs sleep 12 hours a day. Ease your pet’s pain by adding extra fleece or blankets to their bed, and be sure to keep their bed away from windows and other drafty locations.

• Exercise for shorter periods but at regular intervals

Exercise is so important to break the vicious circle of joint decay.Pain reduces mobility, which leads to muscle wastage and weakening of the surrounding ligaments and tendons; the joints then become less stable, leading to more wear & tear, more joint decay and more pain.Exercise is therefore essential to keep the muscle tone necessary to support the joints, prevent the decay from worsening and lessen their pain. Keep your Fido active but take care not to over exert!

• Apply a warm water bottle for 15 minutes twice a day

This relaxes the muscles and also promotes blood circulation for faster healing. You can easily tuck one under their blanket when they go to rest after exercise and believe me, dogs love this comfort just as much as us humans!

• Help them with obstacles and heights
So they can continue to enjoy their exercise and woodland walks, why not treat them to a harness coat with a strong handle, so you can help them out of water, lift them over obstacles like fallen trees, in and out of vehicles and up steps, without putting pressure on painful joints. Also, attaching the leash to the harness provides more control, helps to stop them pulling and relieves strain on their neck. Another great bonus is the harness will also help keep them dry, warm and promote good blood circulation at the same time!

Jumping up onto porches or even into the car trunk can be even more difficult and painful, as they put more weight on their hind legs. For larger dogs, lifting them up may not be an option if they are too heavy for you (or you may be suffering from aching joints yourself!) In this case a ramp is an ideal solution to provide a gradient they can manage and help you at the same time.

• Provide traction on slippery floors

Dogs, especially those with hip dysplasia, often have a hard time on slippery floors, such as vinyl, polished wood, tile or laminate, so lay carpet down or put a pet gate to keep them out of the area.
If your dog doesn’t travel in a crate, then you can install carpet or a non-slip liner on the back seat or cargo area of larger vehicles, SUVs, station wagons and vans, to provide better stability for your 4-legged friend and prevent them from being thrown around when you’re on the move.

• Keep your dog out of damp, chilly weather

It’s not actually the cold and wet that causes the problem but fluid pressure within the joint. It’s the drop in atmospheric pressure that allows the joint tissues to swell, causing stiffness and discomfort. It’s not always possible to walk your dog at the most favorable times of the day, so just make sure they are kept warm or maybe consider indoor alternatives.

• Hydrotherapy

Swimming allows the natural movement of muscles and joints in a buoyant environment and helps to build muscle around diseased joints, which in turn relieves the pressure on them when walking or running. The water’s warmer too so blood vessels can do their job properly, supplying healing nutrients to muscles and skin. It certainly helped my dog’s recovery from a cruciate ligament operation and it’s also a fun way to help a slightly porky pooch lose weight!
Important: Ask your veterinarian about your dog’s suitability for hydrotherapy, just in case there’s a valid reason why they should not swim.

Weight control is very important as extra weight puts more stress on the joints. A FidoActive supplement nugget can be given as a healthy treat instead of their normal titbits, so your best friend won’t think they’re in the ‘dog house’!

• Positioning of feeding stations

Dog arthritis can be prevalent in any major joint; if your dog has shoulder or neck pain, raise up their water and food dishes so they don’t have to bend over.

• Regular Check-ups

Remember to schedule regular check-ups with your veterinarian – not all conditions are visible to the eye in the early stages and you could save your best friend a lot of unnecessary pain.

I hope you find some of these tips help you to manage your dog’s pain and help them enjoy a happier and more active life.

FidoActive donates a portion of sales revenue to charitable organisations in the USA for animal rescue and rehoming. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, which goes towards helping these incredibly worthy causes too.

If it were a choice between your TV or your precious pet, which would you rather a thief takes? The obvious answer is “neither” but at least your house contents are insured and can be replaced. Sadly, our unique furry family members can’t simply be “replaced”, so what can you do to help protect them from being stolen?

Raising Awareness of Dog Thefts

February 14th each year is not only Valentine’s Day but it is National Pet Theft Awareness Day in the United States. The aim of the special day is to bring awareness to pet owners that they really need to do something about preventing the theft of their beloved animals. Makes sense doesn’t it?

At this point you might be wondering how anyone could be so heartless to steal a dog or other pet from their owner. Well dogs are always the top pickings and stolen to order due to their markings, breed or coloring. There are other reasons, such as being put in a puppy farm to be used as a breeding machine, used as fighting dogs, or worse still used as bait – but in the main it is all about making money. It is also possible that your pooch just wanders off, simply because they could!

Don’t Let Your Dog Be Stolen

Did you know that every year there are nearly 2 million dogs stolen in the USA alone and every year this figure is increasing? Can you imagine the devastation of losing your precious pooch to thieves? It doesn’t bear thinking about does it.

It is all too easy to believe that the theft of your dog will never happen to you. But the growing numbers suggest that you and your pet are at risk and only a small number are ever reunited with their loving owners again.

So are you prepared to do something about it? If so, read on…

Prevention Methods for ensuring your Dog is not Stolen

There are a number of things that you can do to prevent your dog from being stolen. Most of them are just plain common sense but how many jobs are left undone because “we just haven’t had the time to get around to it yet.” Believe me, it will take far less time to ensure your pet is safe and secure than searching for them if they go missing!

A Contained Environment

If your best friend likes to wander around in your yard then ensure that it is fully contained and that there is no way in or out for thieves. If you have a gate then fix a secure lock to it – a strong padlock is a good idea.

Always use a Leash

No matter how well trained your dog is if they are not restrained by a leash when they are outside then they are a lot easier to steal.

Always Watch your Pooch

How many times have you seen it? Someone is in a store and they have tied up their precious dog outside. It was always a recommended way of helping socialize our pups but this is really asking for trouble on so many levels. Friendly dogs don’t know friend from foe and thefts can easily happen in this scenario and also your dog could just break free and run away.

How Organized is your Dog’s Information?

This is an “after the event” measure. Having just suffered the heartbreak of your canine being stolen you need to pull yourself together and get looking. Having a recent picture is a great idea, as is keeping everything about your dog (such as medical details) in one place.

What about Micro Chipping?

The micro chipping of pets is rising in popularity for very good reason. It is not possible to remove a micro chip as they are not located in tags or collars. If you move home then it is really easy to update the information in your dog’s micro chip.

Let’s say that your canine gets lost instead of stolen. A shelter picks up your dog and most of them have a micro chip scanner which will easily identify you as the owner. A tearful reuniting with your precious canine quickly follows. The majority of dogs don’t even realize that they are having a micro chip injected and will not feel it afterwards.

If your Dog is Stolen

In the event of a dog theft notify law enforcement offices, shelters and veterinary clinics immediately. In addition, post notices on social media and produce reward posters and distribute them throughout your neighborhood.

The preventative measures above can save you a lot of heartache. Don’t let these heartless thieves get away with it. Losing your pooch will be unbearable for you and your family, so take action today and always look out for your dog because they can’t do it for themselves.

There are several advantages a “seeing dog” brings for a blind or visually impaired person. One of the major benefits is that it builds confidence in the blind person as they feel more secure with the guide dog at their side. They also become more independent as they can increase their mobility with a guide dog.

Through this partnership, a visually impaired or blind person will be able to live their lives more productively with the help of their trusted furry guide. This can range from being able to commute to a place of work, attend school/college or improve their wellbeing by simply being able to go for a walk – things that most of us can take for granted.

Then there is the devoted companionship that a guide dog will offer them. This not only cuts through the boredom that many blind people suffer but it’s proven to make them less stressed and anxious. There are many occasions I can recall when the dogs in my life have helped me through tough times, from teenage heartache to periods of ill health and personal loss; I’m sure all dog owners have similar stories. I can therefore only imagine what an invaluable support they must be for a blind person.

Guide Dogs usage in the United States

Sadly, there is a desperate shortage of these amazing dogs. There are only around 10,000 guide dog teams operating in the USA according to Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

It typically costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one guide dog and most organisations that supply them rely totally on public support and donations. The average “working life” of a guide dog is 8 years, so it’s impossible to match continual supply and demand.

A 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) revealed that around 10% of adults in America stated that they were visually impaired even when wearing contact lenses or glasses, or that they could not see at all and were blind. This means around 23.7 million adults in the United States, many for whom a guide dog could literally change their lives.

Impact of Attacks on Guide Dogs by other Dogs

One of the biggest concerns for guide dog teams is the threat of attack or unwanted attention from other dogs. Even for any of us lucky enough to have good vision, an attack on our dog can be frightening but usually relatively straight forward to deal with. This is clearly not the case for a visually impaired or blind person.

For a guide dog team to be safe and efficient it is vital that the guide dog be able to concentrate fully on their work. If other canines distract the guide dog, then the owner and the guide dog are immediately at risk of harm. The owner cannot protect themselves and their guide dog because they don’t have the visual capabilities to do this.

The impact of an attack on a guide dog team can be far reaching, for example:

It can affect the guide dog’s performance and behavior even if there is no physical injury

If the guide dog is affected to the point that it cannot work, then the owner will suffer loss of mobility and potentially their own ability to earn a living

With a physical attack the owner could face medical and veterinary bills for themselves and the guide dog

44% of the respondents had been the victims of at least a single attack

Of this 44%, there were 58% who reported more than one attack

83% of the respondents experienced aggressive canine interference

Sidewalks and roadways were the location for the majority of attacks (80%)

The number of incidents occurring within 30 minutes walk from home was 74%

In the severest of cases 3% of guide dogs had to retire and 16% could not work for a while

37% of guide dog handlers reported being disorientated temporarily after an attack

Preventing Guide Dog Attacks and Dangerous Distractions

There are a number of things that dog owners can do to help on this front:

Ensure that your dog is leashed and keep them away from guide dogs at all times

Tell a blind or visually impaired person that you are approaching and have a dog

Keep your pooch close to you when near to a guide dog team. Your dog may be really sociable but even saying “hello” to a guide dog will distract them from their very important job.

Don’t be tempted to pet a guide dog in a harness. Even if the dog is resting without their harness, ask the owner before you pet the dog and don’t get upset if they say “no” – there will undoubtedly be a very good reason!

Take control of your canine and train them in obedience

Ensure that your dog’s vaccinations are up to date

Help out a guide dog and their handler if there is an attack or interference.

If you see loose dogs in the street try to identify and return them to their owner (if it is safe to do so). Otherwise contact a local shelter to see if they can help out – this will also get any strays into safe hands too.

One of the most disturbing facts revealed in the Seeing Eye survey was the number of dog owners or handlers who had simply walked away after their dog had attacked or interfered with a guide dog, without offering any assistance to the blind person. How could anyone be so callous?

At the end of the day accidents can happen but we must all take responsibility for our pets or canine charges and put things right.

I know as dog lovers it is so hard to resist going over to pet these amazing creatures, but perhaps now we can all do more for them by being an extra set of eyes.

Veterinarians agree, the main reason for dog health issues come from the modern pet diet. Processed dog foods and antibiotics are stripping your dog’s digestive and immune system of the vital good bacteria and the natural enzymes they need to maintain true lasting health.

That’s where probiotics play a key role in getting (and keeping!) your dog in tip top condition.

WHY IS A PROBIOTIC POWDER BETTER THAN PROBIOTIC PET FOOD, TREATS OR LIQUID?

Here’s the thing, many probiotics on the market are in the form of treats, liquids or food. That’s normally fine for other types of supplements but NOT probiotics, as the efficacy is provided by “live” bacteria, which is normally killed in the manufacturing process(and hence why they are known by the term “unstable” probiotics).

Furthermore, a dry, “stabilized” powder probiotic does not require refrigeration and will not react the same way to exposure as an unstable probiotic, so it’s easy for storing and perfect for travelling. Simply add it to their wet or dry food or even mix in their water.

FidoActive Advanced Probiotics for Dogs was specifically developed as a dry probiotic supplement powder that contains 8 stabilized strains of live bacteria. The probiotics are grown fresh and independently tested for purity and authenticity. They are top-grade, dog-specific strains which have been approved by the FDA and AAFCO as DFMs (Direct Fed Microbials).

Fidoactive also include a prebiotic, inulin, which is essential for the maximum efficacy of probiotics in your dog’s system, PLUS a natural de-wormer, organic calcium and 74 minerals, so you definitely get more bang for your buck! And with no odor or flavor, even the pickiest pooches get the goodness they need!

Why not check out our best value for money offers on Amazon and see the start of a healthy, happy life for your furry best friend!

I can’t think of anything better than snuggling up with a furry friend to keep each other warm and cosy, but it is clear that not all dog owners are dog lovers.

As parts of the country are gripped in the coldest temperatures in history, you may have seen the heart-breaking reports in the news about dogs left outside that have frozen to death.

How can this happen? Is it down to education or cruelty? Either way, these horrendous cases could have been prevented, if just one neighbor, friend or passer-by had taken a minute out of their day to help these poor dogs.

Yes, it’s great that many states and local jurisdictions are dealing out harsher penalties for animal cruelty, but this is cold comfort for the poor canine companions that suffered such a painful death.

Sure, dogs grow thicker coats in winter, but this is not sufficient to keep them warm in the severe cold temperatures, that have reached -6Cin even the mildest climes and wind chills making it feel another -10C to -20C colder! They do not have any fur on their paw pads, nose or other extremities to protect them from painful frostbite –Even super-furry Huskieslikea helping hand in these bone-chilling times!

So, with weather forecasters predicting more of the same frigid temperatures, please take a minute to just look out of your window or check yards as you drive/walk round your neighborhood and see if there is some poor pooch chained out in the cold or has no insulated shelter.

If you can offer help to your neighbor, by helping them improve their dog’s shelter arrangements then that’s the ideal immediate solution. I know some people don’talways take kindly to this, if it’s taken as personal criticism, but most would gratefully receive “surplus dog blankets, cushions or beds etc. that would otherwise be thrown out”.

HOWEVER, if you have serious concerns about the dog’s welfare then PLEASE DON’T WAIT to contact the ASPCA. You really could save a dog’s life!

Not sure when cold is too cold for your pooch?

We’ve pulled together a FREE guide of useful tips to keep your furry friends healthy, warm and safe throughout the winter months – Why not share the love and print off an extra copy for your neighbor, if you feel they could benefit from some tips.